[Swprograms] Podding Along - Issue 316

[John Figliozzi <jfiglio1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Most radio listening takes place in the car or while doing other things that allow freedom for the ear, but not the eyes and hands.  Podcasts permit a shift of listening time from a set appointment to virtually any convenient occasion.  I do it while “power walking” (most) every morning in what sometimes seems like a vain attempt to diminish the results of sitting behind a desk for 35 years.  The act of putting one foot in front of the other can be pretty monotonous and by “podding along” while plodding along the mind also gets something useful to do.  So it is with the time spent commuting to work day after day.

Podcasting has expanded almost exponentially so very quickly that it can justly be considered a medium all its own.  Therefore, the attempt here has to be to highlight only a small portion of it, just one corner where excellence reigns.

Some of the best radio comes from the public networks of the UK, Australia, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and the U.S.  Apart from the originating program’s web site, most programs are made available through any number of other amalgamation sources such as iTunes and TuneIn. 

Admittedly, these are thoroughly subjective recommendations, but my interests and tolerance for incompatible views are pretty wide-ranging. Here’s another in a continuing series of small samplings, offered in a 90 minute scope (more or less):

— —

“The Big Snore" 
THE PHILOSOPHER’S ZONE - ABC RN
Boredom hasn't received a lot of philosophical attention — perhaps because it's boring. There's something about it that resists analysis, which isn't surprising, given that boredom suggests a radical absence of anything to talk about. But even the most tedious things can prove on inspection to be complex, multi-layered and... well, interesting. Norwegian philosopher Lars Svendsen explores the intricacies, the joys, and the creative potential of boredom. (29”)
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/philosopherszone/the-big-snore/12228082

“Citizens and Urban Planning"
THE PHILOSOPHER’S ZONE - ABC RN
Cities develop in all sorts of ways, but at the heart of urban planning in Australia is the notion of citizen participation. When changes are afoot that will influence the lives of millions of people, those people should have a say. But "the people" are rarely on the same page, interests always diverge — and yet we still tend to assume that everyone's a rational actor, and that consensus can ultimately be achieved. This week, the philosophical foundations of a more realistic — and more helpful — model for citizen participation in urban planning.  (29”)
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/philosopherszone/citizens-and-urban-planning/12244514

“Where’d the Money Go and Other Questions" 
PLANET MONEY - NPR 
These are confusing times. We know it because we see your emails: Lately, we've been getting more questions than anytime in recent memor Today on the show, we try tackling a few. We look into where the money actually goes when the economy crashes, check in on some C-list celebs, and ask why housing prices are still going up right now. Also, we get our own dancehall jingle. 
Got more questions? Send them to planetmoney@xxxxxxx. (23”)
https://www.npr.org/2020/06/03/869079549/whered-the-money-go-and-other-questions

“Small America vs. Big Internet" 
PLANET MONEY - NPR
If you've ever lived in small-town America, you know how bad the internet can sometimes be. So one town in North Carolina decided: If we can't make fast internet come to us, we'll build it ourselves. And they did. Enter Big Internet.
This episode, we look at what happened when the City of Wilson decided to try and start its own internet provider, and how it started a fight that spread to dozens of states, a fight about whether cities should even be allowed to compete with big internet providers, and what the effect the outcome might have on working remotely. (23”)
https://www.npr.org/2020/05/29/865908114/small-america-vs-big-internet

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A monthly (well, mostly monthly) compendium of these newsletters, plus on occasion additional pertinent material, is now published in The CIDX Messenger, the monthly e-newsletter of the Canadian International DX Club (CIDX).  For further information, go to www.cidx.ca

John Figliozzi
Editor, "The Worldwide Listening Guide”
NEW! 184 page 9th EDITION available NOW from Universal Radio [universal-radio.com], Amazon [amazon.com], Ham Radio Outlet [hamradio.com]
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